How to Write Your USC Short Answers

The University of Southern California is a fantastic, private institution in Los Angeles, CA. Known for its great film, business, journalism and sports programs (and, obviously, their marching band :P), it is a great choice for students who dig a large, urban campus. 

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As a college essay coach, I have helped several students successfully apply to USC. And one section of the writing supplement that never fails to stump, stress and confuse students... is the super short answer.

Basically, in addition to two 250-word supplements:

USC students are known to be involved. Briefly describe a non-academic pursuit (such as service to community or family, a club or sport, or work, etc.,) that best illustrates who you are, and why it is important to you (250 word limit).
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Describe your academic interests and how you plan to pursue them at USC. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections (250 word limit).
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USC wants you to tell them, in about 15 words or less:

​Describe yourself in three words:
Favorite food:
Favorite fictional character:
Greatest invention of all time:
What do you like to do for fun?
Role model:
Favorite book:
Best movie of all time:
Favorite musical performer/band/composer:
Dream job:

Admissions officers put these questions on the application to quickly get to know you better. They thought it would be fun! But students spend a lot of time stressing about this section. 

After spending over an hour talking this section with a student last night, I decided it's time to blog about it. 

Personally, I love this section. Every time I look at it, I wish I could be filling it out for myself! I wish I could be filling it out for myself, because I could answer each question over and over and over. 

So here's my advice to students who need help with this section:

​1. Think of it like an exercise in creativity. You will never stand out by being the same. It's a very small box -- try to think outside of it. And before settling on one answer, try to quickly come up with five answers, and then pick your favorite one. (See examples below.)

2. There are no right or wrong answers. Be genuine. Be authentic. Be you! There is not literally a best invention or greatest movie ever. 

3. Don't limit yourself to your answer. If there's room to explain your choice, take advantage of it!

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So how would I answer these questions? Take a look at the examples below. But please don't be an idiot and copy them -- I'm tight with the admissions people at USC. I sent them a copy of this post before I published it. And if you copy me, THEY WILL KNOW. 

Just use these as inspiration to help you get started.

1. Describe yourself in three words.

First word:
Second word:
​Third word:
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Want to know a little secret? You can put up to five words in each box. Want to know another secret? Hyphenated words only count as one word. 

Keeping this in mind, here are a few answers I came up with when I brainstormed:

Strong. Sincere. Silly. :P
Strong. Sincere. Silly! (Bonus points for alliteration?)
Intelligent. Athletic. Competitive. (Seriously - bring it on!)
Creative. Curiosophile. Neologistic.
Grit. Purpose. Passion.
Fun-loving. Creative. Indecisive. No -- wait...
Second-person. Reflexive. Pronoun.

If I were to suggest the first option to my students, they would almost certainly ask, "Can you do that?"

The answer is yes. If they let you put it on the form, you CAN do that.

Should you? That depends on you. If you're a silly, colloquial person -- sure, why not? It's a risk, I suppose. Your reader might not be wild about seeing an emoji in your college application. But they might see it and think, "Wow, that's different!" Or maybe that silly tongue-sticking-out face will make them feel warmer, closer to you.  

Same for the second option. I am a silly person who makes strange comments and requests to strangers all the time. This is totally​ the kind of thing I would say in real life, so it makes sense for me to say it on my college application.

But if you're not the kind of person who would ever use an emoji, your college application isn't the place to start. If making a joke about alliterations isn't true to your personality, don't do it here. Remember: admissions officers are masters at detecting authenticity. 

What I like about my third option is that it's a pretty good summary of who I am. The addition of "Seriously - bring it on!" shows the silly, fun and creative side of me without me having to explicitly say it.

I like my fourth option, but I don't love it. On the one hand, I'm pretty sure no one else is going to pick the last two words, since I made them up. (Unless neologistic is a word. It probably is. It sounds like one. But I've never heard or seen it used, so...) For those who don't know, a neologism is a new (neo) word (log). A "curiosophile" is, presumably, someone who loves (phile) curiosity. I think this answer is funny, and it reflects my love of both curiosity and word play. But I don't love "curiosophile." 

Which is why I love this idea... but, as it is now, I don't love the execution. So I could either spend more time trying to come up with the perfect neologism to replace "curiosophile," or I could cross this off my list and move on to idea number five:

Grit. Purpose. Passion. This is a perfectly fine answer. Grit and purpose are pretty hot words in education right now, so it suggests I have something they want. However, that's all it shows. Probably what I would decide to do here is show grit, purpose and passion in my longer essays and stick to something lighter and more interesting here. 

Fun-loving. Creative. Indecisive. No -- wait... is also a cool answer. I like it. I like the little joke at the end. But ultimately, I would cross it off my list. Indecisive is definitely not one of the top three words to describe me.

The last option is one I would cross off my list pretty quickly. Although I like the idea of literally interpreting the question (again, something most other applicants probably would not do), I think doing so here is a lost opportunity. I'm not a very sarcastic person, so it wouldn't feel very authentic. And I have a lot to say about myself, which I think will get me further than some dumb joke. I only included the suggestion here to demonstrate a way of thinking. How else could I answer or interpret this question?

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2. Favorite food.
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For me, the answer is easy: burritos and Chinese food. BUT. In the name of good brainstorming, I would come up with at least five answers before picking one.

Burritos and Chinese food. What? You can't possibly expect me to pick between those!
Burritos and Chinese food -- the cheaper, the better!
Burritos and Chinese food. Seriously, I could eat this for the rest of my life and always be happy.
Burritos and Chinese food. My best friends are the ones who accept that this is all I ever want to eat.
Burritos and Chinese food -- because OMG YUM!

So there are my five answers. Before picking one, I'd ask myself, "Are there any other foods I really like, that I could say something interesting about?"

Quinoa. But I try not to eat it, because I read it's like taking food out of impoverished Peruvians' mouths.
Kombucha. Technically, it's a drink, not a food, but I'm pretty sure I drink my weight in it.
Kombucha. At first, I thought it tasted like the musty, standing water in my barn. But now, I'm hooked.
Not sure. But my favorite DRINK is kombucha. Because it's $4 per bottle at the store, I've started brewing my own.
Frosted Mini Wheats. But not the actual squares. I like all the sugary crumbles at the bottom of the bag.

You could even say something sentimental, personal or unique about yourself, like:

The catfish that I catch in the summer with my grandpa. Nothing says "family" like a good ol' North Woods sunburn.
The farm fresh eggs that I collect before school each morning.
The farm fresh eggs that I collect before school each morning. They're too good for ketchup!
Farm-raised chicken. Slaughtering animals isn't my favorite chore, but you can't deny how delicious it is.
Anything that comes out of my family's garden!
Anything I cook with my friend Lauren -- she's basically the Steve Jobs of the kitchen!

I could go on and on, but I'll stop here. Of the ideas I came up with, I like everything from the last list better than everything in the first list. Burritos and Chinese food are great, but I can do more to tell admissions officers about myself. 

I'd narrow the list down to the following choices before making a final decision:

The farm fresh eggs that I collect before school each morning. They're too good for ketchup!
Farm-raised chicken. Slaughtering birds isn't my favorite chore, but you can't deny how delicious it is.
Not sure. But my favorite DRINK is kombucha. Because it's $4 per bottle at the store, I've started brewing my own.
Frosted Mini Wheats. But not the actual squares. I like all the sugary crumbles at the bottom of the bag.

3. Favorite fictional character:
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Don't miss out on the opportunity to say not just who, but also why. Here's my brainstorm:

Harry Potter -- does anyone ever say anything else?
Harry Potter. He trusts his gut, even when everyone tells him he's wrong.
Marty McFly -- a brave young man who understands the value of mentorship.
Marty McFly from the third version of 1985.
Richard Rahl, from Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. 
Richard Rahl, even though he's basically Ayn Rand in War Wizard form.
Phineas (Finny) from A Separate Piece. As an Exeter student, I'm a sucker for boarding school stories. 
Arya Stark, from Game of Thrones. I read the books BEFORE the show was cool.
Anna from Frozen. I've never seen a character whose personality so closely resembled mine.

Like I said before, there are no right or wrong answers here. I like that Phineas is a character from a classic novel, because I love (certain) classic novels. I like the "Anna from Frozen" one, because if they've seen Frozen, they now know pretty much exactly who I am on the inside. And I like the "Richard Rahl/Ayn Rand" one because... it shows that I have an understanding of Objectivism?

Ultimately, I'd go with my gut, and pick the one that felt the truest to me.

4. Greatest invention of all time.
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This is the one I found the trickiest. With inventions, it's really easy to get stuck on what is objectively, scientifically best. There may be an actual correct answer here. But if there is, I don't know it. 

So, again, think about answers that would help them get to know you best. It's fine to be subjective. It's fine to think outside the box. Here's my brainstorm:

Guitars. Nothing has brought me more joy than jamming on the quad with friends.
Waterslides!
Dive gear. I love the simultaneous excitement and serenity of exploring the underwater world.
CRISPR. But waterslides and guitars are pretty awesome, too. 
Semiconductors. But waterslides and guitars are pretty awesome, too.
Dogs. We "invented" them by selectively breeding wolves, and now they provide love, comfort and safety.
The coral reef ecosystem. Mother nature always was the best inventor.

See what I did there? Hundreds, maybe thousands, of students are going to write answers like, "iPhones," "the wheel," or whatever. But I like these answers because they say something about ME. 

Because my high school self would have probably indicated an interest in biology on the application, I'd probably go with coral reef ecosystem, CRISPR or dive gear. 

5. What do you like to do for fun?
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This should be easy. Just tell them what you like to do for fun! You DO like having fun, right?

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6. Role model.
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This one would be a little tricky for me, because I don't really have a role model, so I just started thinking about celebrities, authors and athletes I like. Here are the ideas I came up with:

Michael Jordan. Total major baller... and quite a successful businessman!
Allen Iverson. He's the same height as me, but he schools all these huge dudes.
Allen Iverson. He never let his height stop him from, well, anything. Except practice.
Ruby Snoofer (my dog). She chases 100s of squirrels per year. She catches MAYBE one. But she never gives up.
Taylor Swift. She's BEAUTIFUL. But also incredibly talented, ballsy and smart.
Cicero. After four grueling years of Latin and a year of Greek, could I answer any other way?
Jennifer Doudna. She basically discovered CRISPR. What a baller.
Ellen Langer, Psychologist at Harvard. Mindfulness for the win! 

I'd be happy to submit any of these as my answers. To decide on my favorite, I'd go through my previous answers to figure out which answer would either:

1. Complement previous answers.
2. Say something interesting about me that other answers haven't yet.

So, for me, since I'll have indicated an interest in biology or psychology, it would make sense to go with Doudna or Langer. But since I've already taken four years of two dead languages, it might be fun to remind them/make a joke about that (Cicero). Since, earlier in the application, I said I was athletic and/or competitive, one of the basketball players might make sense. I like the novelty of putting my dog on the list, but I'd probably cross her and Taylor Swift off my list.

7. Favorite book.
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Be authentic! The book you choose will say a lot about you, so, for this one, you might not even have to think about an explanation. Here's my brainstorm:

Harry Potter -- does anyone ever answer anything else?
Click: The Magic of Instant Connections. Business, love and psychology, all in one! 
Argo: How the CIA Pulled Off The Most Courageous Rescue in History. Just, wow.
The Sword of Truth Series. Technically, that's 17 books. But it still counts, right?
The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving. Why, yes! I HAVE read an encyclopedia cover-to-cover.

Any of these would be a great answer. Each says a lot about me. The encyclopedia idea complements the scuba diving/biology theme. Sword of Truth shows I'm an avid reader. Click and Argo show a general interest in learning. 

8. Best movie of all time.
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See above -- be authentic. The movie you pick can tell them something cool about your personality. 

Still stumped? I can help!

9. Favorite musical performer/band/composer:
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Don't worry about your choice being "sophisticated" or whatever enough for USC. As I wrote in 6 Lessons Entrepreneurs (and Writers! And EVERYONE!) Can Learn from Back to the Future, two of USC's most successful alumni were guys who loved watching (and making) movies for the average Joe. 

Here's my brainstorm:

Sondheim. He wrote the best alliteration ever: "We've no time to sit and dither / While her withers wither with her."
Sondheim. Who else can wrap such lyrics around the concepts of good, bad and nice?
Crosby, Stills and Nash. I saw them in concert once! Our eyes met. Our hands touched. It was magical.
Crosby, Stills and Nash. Suite: Judy Blues is perhaps the most magical song ever written.
Spice Girls. Say what you will, they're a legitimate pop band. Girl Power! 

10. Dream job:
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This can be real, or completely made up. If you know what you want to be when you grow up, say it here! There's nothing wrong with saying "Software engineer at Video Game Company." If you don't know yet, give a few ideas. Show something about yourself. 

Remember: no right or wrong answers. 

Here's my brainstorm:

Self-Help Travel blogger. I want to teach the world to heal itself through travel.
NYT Bestselling Author of The Happy Talent: How to Improve Your Life With Playfulness.
NYT Bestselling Author of Everything I Need to Know About Life, I Learned from Basketball.
Marine Biologist in the Cocos Islands, studying hammerheads and turtles.
Founder and Principal of The Traveling School, a 9-12 grade school that's always on the move. 

Again, each says something about me, my interests, and my possible future goals. Yours should, too.

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So, at the end of the day, here's what my USC application could look like, and what most​ probably do:

​Describe yourself in three words: 
​Smart, creative, playful.

Favorite food:
Burritos.

Favorite fictional character:
Harry Potter. 

Greatest invention of all time:
Cell phones.

What do you like to do for fun?
Play sports with my friends.

Role model:
Steve Jobs.

Favorite book:
Harry Potter.

Best movie of all time:
Back to the Future.

Favorite musical performer/band/composer:
Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Dream job:
​Blogger or Marine biologist.
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Or! You can put in a little creative effort, do some brainstorming, and submit an application that looks like THIS:

​Describe yourself in three words:
Intelligent. Athletic. Competitive. (Seriously - bring it on!)
​
Favorite food:
Farm-raised chicken. Slaughtering birds isn't my favorite chore, but free-range trumps store-bought.

Favorite fictional character:
Anna from Frozen. I've never seen a character whose personality so closely resembles mine.

Greatest invention of all time:
The coral reef ecosystem. Mother nature always was the best inventor.
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What do you like to do for fun?
Weekday: Basketball, rock climbing, guitar, frisbee. Weekend: Surfing, kayaking, scuba diving.

Role model:
Allen Iverson. He never let his height stop him from, well, anything. Except practice.
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Favorite book:
The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving. Why, yes! I HAVE read an encyclopedia cover-to-cover.

Best movie of all time:
Back to the Future Trilogy. What movie has ever made its audience feel so clever?

Favorite musical performer/band/composer:
Sondheim. "We've no time to sit and dither/While her withers wither with her." SO GOOD!
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Dream job:
​Self-Help Travel blogger. I'd teach the world to heal itself through travel.​

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Which version did you like better? Which student do you feel like you know more? Which student would you be more likely to admit?

The Common App is full of opportunities to endear yourself to admissions officers. Don't let this one go to waste.

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